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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bound — obliged
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. bound — tied together
  4. foot — a measure
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. stock — shares
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. stock — goods
  10. bound — certain
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lie — to recline
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. branch — a division
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ball — a great time
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com